Drinking a glass of water and noticing is a weird problem. Did I wash the glass out properly? Is there sugar in there somehow? Or could there be something more serious at play?
If your water suddenly tastes sweet once, it’s probably no problem. But if it’s over a longer time, you need to find out exactly why your water tastes sweet.
Learn the answer to that question and how to test and fix any sweet water coming from your faucet.
Water with a sweet taste can be caused by excess calcium and iron in the pipes. The guideline for calcium carbonate in water is between 121 and 180 mg/L. Other causes may cause water sweetness, like eroding pipes, pH balance, and minerals. There’s also a chance of a health problem if other people can’t taste ut.
- Why Does Water Taste Sweet? Four Common Reasons
- Test your water to confirm the problem
- How to fix sweet-tasting water in your home
Why Does Water Taste Sweet? Four Common Reasons
There are four common reasons why water can have a sweet taste in any household: personal health reasons, high mineral content, a pH imbalance, and eroding pipes.
Health Issues
While a health issue may affect the taste of your water, there is a practical solution you can use to check if this is the case.
Just have another person taste the water and have them tell you whether the water is sweet or not.
If they don’t taste it, you may want to check for some underlying medical conditions that could be the source. Nutrient deficiencies like vitamin B-12, vitamin D, and zinc help preserve your sense of sweet taste receptor cells. [2]
Less likely is the problem with your taste buds related to diabetes. When your body has a hormone imbalance, you’ll have difficulty regulating your sugar levels, resulting in a perceived sweet taste in your water. [3]
Please consult your doctor if you suspect a health issue is at play.
High mineral content
Over time, mineral deposits can build up in your pipes from flowing water and cause a sweet taste to the water. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, iron, and others that naturally occur in any tap water. [5]
They end up in the water by dissolving from the ground and large amounts can alter the taste of your water.
The mineral imbalance isn’t just affecting the taste, it can also stain your appliances and cause damage to your pipes.
I’ll show you how to remove excessive mineral content from your water flow in the sections below.
A ph imbalance
Your tap water should have a pH balance between 6.5 and 8.5 according to EPA guidelines. [6] A pH imbalance occurs when mineral deposits, salts, or other pollutants enter your drinking water and alter the pH levels.
Highly acidic water even has the capability to erode your pipes, causing even more damage to your health as well as your home.
The foreign materials may cause the water to have a sweet taste. There are proper ways to test your pH levels that you’ll learn more about, and we’ve written about the best acid neutralizers that could remember a sweet taste.
Eroding pipes
All of the common reasons above have pretty simple solutions to test whether they are the source of your sweet water issues.
Deteriorating pipes may need a professional to come out and take a look. As a pipe erodes it releases minerals like iron that can give your water a sweet taste.
A professional plumber can use small cameras to look at your pipe system to determine if a deteriorating pipe is an issue.
If your pipes are made of lead, you could have a potentially more hazardous situation for the health of everyone coming into contact with your water.
Test your water to confirm the problem
Getting a clear idea of what is in your water will help you determine what steps need to be taken to fix the problem.
The best way to do this is with a water quality test kit.
These kits test for bacteria, pH balance, TDS (total dissolved solids), and mineral content so you can get an accurate understanding of what’s going on with your tap water.
There’s also a lead test kit to specifically tell if lead pipes might be causing the sweet taste.
You should test your water at least once a year or more frequently if you have a new well or you are repairing your pipes. [7]
How to fix sweet-tasting water in your home
After testing your water and getting an idea of the issue, you can assess a solution.
Try a carbon filter water pitcher for a quick fix
You can’t quickly change the water that flows from your pipes. But a carbon filter water pitcher is still an excellent choice for quickly fixing your drinking water (see our review of Clearly Filtered’s pitcher for an example).
This type of filter works by passing the water through the activated carbon material, which helps trap contaminants like chemicals, metals, chlorine, and bacteria.
As the water passes through the activated carbon, it filters out any impurities, removing the sweet taste and other flavors in your tap water. The result is a refreshingly clean and crisp-tasting glass of filtered water.
Invest in a countertop reverse osmosis system
Investing in a countertop reverse osmosis system is an even better way to filter water compared to a carbon filter water pitcher. This type of system uses a semi-permeable membrane that filters out much smaller particles than the activated carbon in the carbon filter water pitcher, including any dissolved solids and metals in the water.
A countertop system connects to your water line so you can have a continual supply of fresh and clean water. Your best option is the SimPure Y7 for its sleek design and water efficiency.
You’ll keep low water bills, and the two-filter system makes it easy to save money.
Use a water softener to remove minerals
A water softener also helps to remove minerals from your water supply by using a process called ion exchange. This process works to replace the hard minerals found in water with softer ones, improving tap water’s taste and texture.
The softening process helps remove any off-flavors caused by an overload of minerals and reduces scaling on home surfaces like dishes or shower fixtures.
To turn all the water in your home from sweet to neutral again, the SpringWell Water Softener allows a flow rate p to 20 GPM so you can use it for families of up to seven people.
Don’t be fooled by the marketing of electronic water descalers. They can work well to reduce scale, but they won’t soften your water to improve taste.
Try an acid-neutralizing filter to reduce high pH
Have you performed your at-home water test and found out you have a high pH level in your tap water?
Balance out your water levels by getting an acid-neutralizing filter.
This type of filter helps reduce water acidity by neutralizing the pH levels and reducing corrosiveness in your home.
With the Springwell Calcite pH Neutralizer, you’ll get complete smartphone control, including regeneration backwash cycles. Manage your entire water system from the comfort of your couch using the app to change your water settings.
